alert!!! hosp overcome spooker!!%$

11 years ago

Things have gone from Bad to Worse in the past 24 hours in my backyard nestbox pairs.

I left my sparrow spooker up on a nestbox paired next to my swallows, and the blues prematurely fledged. I took them to a rehab center because the parents disapppeared.

I left it up to protect the swallows. NOW THERE'S DROPPINGS THAT LOOK LIKE A HOSP'S AND GRASS INSIDE IT!!

This is HORRIBLE. 1st account of HOSP getting past a sparrow spooker. TRUST IN SIALIS! YOUR SPARROW SPOOKER is NOT a 100% guarantee of anything!

~Tim~

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Comments (9)

nicknackhummer
11 years ago
Tim, you really have to take it down after the bluebirds fledge or the HOSP get used to it. You put it up after first egg is laid and take it down after they fledge.
ohsoblue77
Original Author
11 years ago
nicknack, I'm FULLY aware of that. But there are swallows about to fledge in the adjacent paired box and I have no bracket to mount the spooker to. I have 6 boxes, 3 spookers, and this box is the only one w/o a bracket.

Also, I think this same sparrow is at my other pair, where something threw out a single egg that TRES were apparently
incubating.

Don't worry. Once I get this guy with my Van Ert, there'll be no more "not afraid of spooker" sparrows!
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They keep coming indeed, but the number of them has drastically dropped in my neighborhood. I've destroyed 100's of eggs, dealt the end to some nestlings, and euthanized at least 100 or more adult HOSP in my time. Go figure that the 1 or 2 remaining Male HOSP just HAVE TO ruin a native's nesting attempt when there's plenty spots for them (pine trees, buildings, etc.) to nest! I also don't see how this HOSP managed to destroy the egg(s)but hasn't been able to take the box over completely. Maybe it's because my blues have been around 24/7? Who knows! BTW, I'm getting HORRIBLE results with my DRST at another site I monitor. I have 2 Male and 2 female HOSP. Been in there at least 3+ days with NO additional captures. 1 native released. I like the DRST, but it has dissapointed me. I know the Spooker isn't a 100% guarantee, but it has to be pretty darn CLOSE! I don't think (knock on wood) that this HOSP will be able to overcome a spooker, and two different pairs of native birds working together. Plus the TRES mobs. The nest cup has been rounded out more by the bluebirds.
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kendra2003
11 years ago
Tim, you sure have had your challenges. I sure hope you get the one that's not afraid of the spooker. I have never had one get past a box with a spooker on it. I sure hope you catch him before he teaches any others not to fear it.
Lexarose
11 years ago
Tim! You can fashion a spooker out of the skinny wooden dowels at the hardware store, you'll need cable ties or duct tape to put them into the "T" position and then duct tape the mylar streamers. If your boxes are wooden you can screw in two little eye hooks or something to the back of the box then cable tie the dowel to the box. If you make them like that you'll have spookers for every box and you only have to keep buying the mylar banners from the dollar store. Like Nicknack said they need to come down right after fledging so these b******s don't become tolerant. Cable tie or duct tape something to the tres box temporarily till you get situated. Right know my spookers are all gunked together due to the rain which makes me real paranoid. Yesterday I ran down my driveway in the rain like a wild beast 'cause I swore there was hosp intrusion at a box but it was just tres relatives going in the box causing a ruckus. I'll relax when the wind dries out the streamers and they unfurl. Good luck Tim, Sue
lisa11310
11 years ago
Hope things are looking better Tim, I use plain old wooden hot dog sticks, duct tape & iridescent sparkly gift wrap ribbon. ((( )))!
ohsoblue77
Original Author
11 years ago
The good news everyone is that the TRES all fledged successfully! Glad Mr. HOSP didn't decided to intervene.
I will take a look at dowels and other materials I would need and maybe make more. Just seems to me that it would be hard for a home-made spooker to survive the weather.

Kendra, I got the one that was trying to use the boxes where my new bluebird pair is hanging out. I hope maybe it was him, but today I found more noodle droppings in one of the boxes...

Sue, doesn't that just annoy the heck out of you?? I hear the TRES going crazy and the 1st thought that pops up is "HAWK!!!" but then I see the swarm of swallows. But they ARE good at alerting other birds to our hawks!

Lisa, love the creativity!

Also guys, I now have SIX HOSP fledglings in my DRST! The thing is sucking them up!! And they came from the neighbor who let HOSP from the DRST previously. All have trimmed wings. Plus 1 male who I'm contemplating ending.

~Tim~
Lexarose
11 years ago
Really great the tres fledged safely Tim, and AWESOME that you got that many in your drst! Great work...
ohsoblue77
Original Author
11 years ago
Add 2 more! 8 fledglings and one male! How many are there???? It's becoming INSANITY in that trap!

~Tim~
assabetvalley
11 years ago
There are always more to fill the void, so we have to continue trapping them. When I take mine in nightly to dispose of them I always leave a fresh - hopefully male & 1 or 2 others for tomorrow's decoys. I cover the trap w/an old towel until I put the trap out next morning, adding fresh bread, crackers, water. Keep up your good work.

alert!!! hosp overcome spooker!!%$

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alert!!! hosp overcome spooker!!%$

Comments (9)

nicknackhummer

ohsoblue77Original Author

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kendra2003

Lexarose

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ohsoblue77
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